New Zealand Beach Volleyball Nationals boost interest ahead of international series

Sam O’Dea and Mike Watson took the men's title in the New Zealand National Beach Volleyball Championship

Auckland, New Zealand,
January 13, 2014 - Sam O’Dea and Mike Watson have won the Men’s National Beach
Volleyball Championship, played at the Mairangi Bay Beach Volleyball Centre
over the weekend, while North Harbour's Danielle Quigley teamed with Rotorua's
Melissa Ruru to take the women’s title.

In mild
overcast conditions a small but animated crowd enjoyed two close finals. The
New Zealand Beach Championships are the precursor to the International Tour
starting next week at the Mairangi Bay.

The
women’s final saw Daniel Quigley and Melissa Ruru win 2-0 (21-15, 24-22) against
the experienced Sonia Dunne/Carli Botes from North Harbour. Ruru and Quigley
had earlier beaten 2013 champions Julia Tilley and Shaunna Polley in a close
semifinal.

Quigley, a
former student of Orewa College won her first National Beach Volleyball title
with new partner Ruru, who was named New Zealand Police Sports Woman of the
year for 2013.

The men’s
final saw a power game evolve between Sam O’Dea, defending his 2013 title with
new partner Mike Watson. They were up against Sam’s younger brother Ben and new
partner for the summer Thomas Hartles, from North Harbour.

The O’Dea/Hartles
combination hung on to win a torrid first set 21-19, but the score was reversed
in an equally tight second set, to take the match to a tie-breaker final set, which
the experienced Sam O'Dea/Watson combination took 15-8.Upcoming events